CyberAgent Establishes CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc., Company Dedicated to the Development of Virtual Stores

- Background 
Recently, domestic and overseas apparel and brand companies have seen an upsurge in sales of products that utilize “non-fungible tokens” (NFTs) in the metaverse, and in international markets, the retail industry including supermarkets has also accelerated the development of stores in the metaverse that use NFTs and crypto assets. Attention is now focused on the use of the metaverse and NFTs as new customer contacts and sales methods. As a result, there is an increasing need to support marketing activities in the metaverse.

- Business Outline
The new company CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc. will leverage the CyberAgent Group’s track record in DX support in retail companies, AI, and 3DCG technology to help brands like retail companies and apparel companies establish new revenue streams through virtual stores. In addition to leveraging existing metaverse platforms, companies are able to build original metaverse tailored to corporate branding, from virtual stores with realism like brick-and-mortar stores to animated character designs, as spaces to express the worldview of companies and brands. CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc. will help companies drive revenue starting from developing their advertising business in the metaverse.

CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc. will help companies deliver new shopping experiences such as producing and selling original digital items using NFTs – a topic that has been attracting attention in recent years - and building loyalty programs using NFTs and unique crypto assets.

In addition, it will provide customer service via staff avatars in the virtual stores. CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc. will serve customers in the metaverse in various ways, such as remote customer service provided by company employees, sending AI customer service part-time workers using dialogue technology, and store avatars produced using CG models that are realistic and offer the same level of comfort as real people, to promote customers' willingness to purchase.
 

- Future actions
CyberMetaverse Productions, Inc. aims to improve its marketing and brand value by building revenue models based on new shopping experiences in the metaverse, and by supporting promotional activities that connect the three commercial spaces of “physical stores,” “e-commerce,” and “metaverse” with composite data. To further strengthen the system, the company plans to recruit one hundred new people, mainly Unreal Engine and Unity engineers and CG artists, by 2023.

CyberMetaverse Productions will pursue new possibilities for value and take on the challenge of developing corporate marketing activities and expressions that are only possible in the metaverse.